Every hour 30 lives lost to drowning, WHO calls for action

The World Health Organization has called on countries in South-East Asia Region to strengthen measures to prevent drowning which disproportionately affects children and the vulnerable population.

As per WHO’s first Global status report on drowning prevention, the Region reported 83 000 drowning fatalities in 2021, which accounts to 28% of the global drowning burden and  contributing substantially to the nearly 30 lives lost to drowning every hour, globally.

Nearly 43% drowning fatalities in the Region involved children aged 14 years or younger. Drowning is the third leading cause of death for children aged 5–14 years and the fourth leading cause of death for children aged 1–4 years.

“To save lives and ensure equitable safety for all, expanding and scaling up proven drowning preventive interventions across the Region is not just essential, but a moral imperative,” said Saima Wazed, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia.

Poverty, limited access to safety measures, and inadequate infrastructure exacerbate drowning risks, particularly in low-and middle-income countries.

Children face heightened vulnerabilities due to inadequate supervision, limited swimming skills, and lack of water safety knowledge. For older children and adolescents, peer pressure, risk-taking behaviors, and substance use further increase their risk. Children with disabilities face additional challenges in recognizing and responding to water hazards. Non-fatal drowning incidents lead to severe long-term neurological complications and disabilities that require prolonged care.

The Regional Director said while most countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region have comprehensive drowning prevention strategies, much more needs to be done. Enacting laws mandating lifejacket use, barriers around water hazards, and safe boating regulations have shown potential, though enforcement remains inconsistent in many countries. Regulations restricting alcohol consumption near public waterbodies are lacking in many areas.

The Regional Director emphasized on strengthening governance, having a dedicated lead agency to implement drowning prevention activities,  enhancing cross-sectoral collaboration, strengthening drowning data and implementing evidence-based community-level interventions for drowning prevention.

Community programmes that teach water safety, swimming, and rescue skills, provide supervised childcare, and integrate flood risk management strategies are recognized as critical components of drowning prevention, Wazed said.

“Drowning prevention is fundamentally an issue of equity.  By prioritizing vulnerable populations, fostering innovative leadership, and embracing global collaboration, countries can significantly reduce drowning deaths. With sustained commitment and collective action, we can ensure that everyone, everywhere, can live safely around water,” said Saima Wazed.